Nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) in in situ and invasive components of breast cancers.

The authors have studied the nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) (which reflect the cell kinetic activity) in the in situ and invasive components of breast cancers. The mean number of AgNORs/nucleus was 4.18 (s.d.: 1.35) in the in situ compartments and 5.41 (s.d.: 1.90) in invasive areas. The difference between these two groups is statistically significant. The higher proliferative activity in the infiltrating component might be due to the interaction between epithelial cells and the supporting stroma.

Morphometric study of cell populations in primary breast tumors and their lymph node metastases.

The study of nuclear parameters (long and short nuclear axes, nuclear axes ratio, nuclear area) revealed differences both between the primary breast tumors and their lymph node metastases and between the lymph nodes isolated from the same axilla. The results are discussed in terms of tumor progression.

Morphometric grading of laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas.

The authors have used the point counting method for the morphometric assessment of the histological aspect of laryngeal carcinoma. The results suggest that subjective histopathological grading tends to overestimate the tumor grade. The implications of these data for the prediction of prognosis and selection of therapy are briefly discussed.